I Was A Tribute
by Finding Your Voice
Summary: My name was Thorn Leema. I was from District 11. I was a tribute in the 5th Hunger Games, I was 16. This was my story.


**Disclaimer: Hmm, Katniss, need some help.**

**Katniss: Find doesn't own the Games or Panem. She only created Thorn and decided what happened to her. Happy?**

**Find: Yup, thanks, you can go back to making googly eyes at Peeta!**

**Katniss: Not funny.**

**Find: Nope, hilarious! On with the story!**

"Let the 5th Annual Hunger Games begin and may the odds be ever in your favour" the voice filled my ears. But I should start at the beginning of my story.

My name was Thorn Leema. I was from District 11. I was a tribute in the 5th Hunger Games, I was 16. I was glad that my younger siblings weren't reaped. And I was extremely thankful that Leif wasn't reaped. Leif was 18 but he had the mind of a boy who was 5. It wasn't his fault, he was born like that. My family was lucky that he hadn't been reaped. He wouldn't last 5 minutes. I planned on winning the Games.

My story doesn't start here either; it starts on the day of The Reaping.

I had been part of The Reaping since I was 12. I was part of the first group who would be up for reaping 7 times. But that year had been different. The year I turned 16 all of my siblings except the twins had their names in The Reaping balls. Leif was 18; it had been his last reaping. I was 16, Willow was 14 and Rowan was 13. Iris had been 12, it had been her first reaping, she had been nervous. The twins were 5, Marigold and Daffodil hadn't understood what had been going on, they had just liked wearing pretty dresses.

I had been out harvesting fruit since dawn. Even on Reaping Day we had been told to work. We had finished work 2 hours before The Reaping, we had to wash, eat and be in the Square at the end of the allocated time.

Mama had left a bucket of clean water out for me that day. My hands and bare feet were stained with the fruit I had picked. My legs had been covered in scratches from my namesake. I had grabbed the soap and scrubbed my hands and feet. I had washed my face and then poured the bucket over my head. My feet and hands had still been the dull purple the fruit had permanently stained them. I had pulled on my good dress; it was green and went to my knees. It was simple, we left fancy to the Capitol.

Mama braided my hair while I had finished dressing the twins. The she had pulled their hair back as Willow held them still before her hair was done. Iris had her braids done first. I helped Leif with his shirt buttons while Rowan had tied his laces. Rowan had always helped out. Then Papa had checked the boys while Mama checked the girls.

We walked to the square together, we had laughed and talked. Leif said my hands reminded him of the Capitol citizens who dyed themselves every colour known to Panem. Marigold and Daffodil demanded that the next time they got new dresses, they were the same colour as the fruit juice before it dried.

Mama and Papa had hugged us all and then took the twins with them. Then I had done what I had done for the past 4 Reapings, even since I was 12. I took Leif to the section where he would stand and Luke, a family friend, had kept an eye on him, as usual. Then I took Willow to her seat and Rowan to his. Iris was last, she was the youngest. I had taken her little hand and walked her to her spot.

"Ok Iris, there is no way you'll be drawn. You wait here after they call the tributes and Willow or I will come and get you. It'll probably be Willow if it's anyone who Leif knows, or even recognises" I promised her. She laughed at the last sentence. I had hugged her and dashed to where I had stood.

I remember I smiled at my friends, Anya and Olive as I slipped in between them. Olive had stood on the end, as she always had.

Our district escort trotted onto the stage. Her name was Corralie Winkle. That year she had worn an apricot dress that was shaped like a bell from her waist to her knees. Anya had snickered in my ear when she saw the lace and netting that it was made from.

"Hello District 11, I hope you're all well. It's everyone's favourite time of year again. Now let's find out who your tributes will be. May the odds be ever in your favour" Her voice was bubbly, just like a fizzy drink we had before the Dark Days. I could only remember a few things from that time.

She had moved to the large glass ball that I knew held the names of all the girls in our district. I remember not worrying that I would reaped, I was worried that Willow or Iris would be reaped and when it was the boys turn that Rowan or Leif would be called up to the stage.

"And the lucky girl tribute from District 11 this year is" she paused for dramatic emphasis. "Thorn Leema"

My breath had caught in my throat and my heart had been in mouth. I had held my head high as I walked to the stage, politely brushed the peacekeepers away has they went to surround me. I had not taken Corralie hand as she went to help me onto the stage.

"Congratulations Thorn. And now let's find out who has the honour of being the male tribute" I wondered how she could enjoy this, knowing that in a mere two weeks I would probably be dead. "Luke Guilder"

Leif had blanched and I saw his hand tighten on Luke's. Luke had been Leif's best friend. Luke had whispered something to Leif and then loosened his grip. Drew, another boy, had taken Leif's hand and a few of the other boys moved forward just in case Leif had tried to follow.

Luke and I had shaken hands and been taken to the Justice Building. We stood in a huge room, waiting for our families and friends to come.

"Thorn" I heard a chorus of voices call my name. My family all came towards me. Luke's had come to but they hadn't been important to me at that moment.

Leif was the first to reach me and had almost crushed me with a hug, Marigold and Daffodil had been next, then my other three siblings. My parents had been last. It was a huge group hug and I wriggled out of the middle.

"Please don't cry" had been the first thing I said. Then I turned to Leif "It'll be ok Leif, I promise. I won't even been gone that long. I'll be back before you know it"

Willow was the next I turned to. I whispered in her ear "You're the oldest now. Leif can't be that. Look after them please" then I said louder "Keep climbing, you had better be able to beat me when I come back"

Rowan stood up a little when I spoke to him, first in a whisper "Remember that you are the man of the family after dad" then a little louder "You're brave, Rowan, you're helpful, please be amazing when I come back" he nodded, pride twinkled in his eyes.

"Iris, you only have 6 more Reapings to go. You won't get drawn, not matter what happens, always believe that" Iris squeezed my hand as I spoke aloud "You're beautiful Iris, I'll bet you'll be even more beautiful when I get home"

I knelt before the twins and wrapped them both in a tight hug "Daffodil and Marigold, my little flower girls, you be good while I'm gone otherwise I won't bring you a pretty dress home"

My parents had both smiled when I said that. "Mama, Papa, thank you for everything. I'll make you proud" as I hugged them I had whispered "Please don't break when I go, they need you"

"We're already proud of you sweetie. We always have been" Papa said.

"My baby's going away" Mama's voice had been quiet "You'll be fine Thorn. I'm amazed at the young woman you've become"

All too soon the Peacekeepers came to take my family away and again I had hugged them all tightly. They were lead away and I remember screaming "I'll be back, I promise. I love you"

"We love you" their call had echoed in the room and would always ring in my ears.

Anya and Olive had visited me, had hugged me, had cried a little and I had promised to come back, they promised to look out for my siblings.

Then Luke and I were lead onto the Capitol bound train. We had waved and waved to our families, to our friends, to our district. We waved as we travelled to our deaths.

Less than two weeks later I remember feeling a knife sliding through my stomach. I remember screaming to the sky that I was sorry for not making it home, that I loved my family. I remember thinking that Games were pointless and disgusting. Then I remember my world had gone black and I couldn't feel anything but myself floating away.

My name was Thorn Leema and that was my story. I was alive during when Panem had been new, I had been alive during the Dark Days, I had avoided Reaping for four years and I had been Reaped for the 5th Annual Hunger Games. I had loved, I had lived, I had laughed, I had cried.

And then I died. This was my story.

**A/N: Hey Everyone, it's been a while since I've posted. This story was written for my English assignment. Basically I had to write something in the Hunger Games universe and it had to be at least 1500 words, this is 1536 because if it had been any longer I would have gotten too involved and it would be a lot longer. I have an idea for another one, but it'll have to wait a while. Feel free to leave a review! **

**Thanks. From Finding Your Voice**


End file.
